TOURIST INVASION
to keep pace with market needs. Sophisticated data manage- ment systems have been developed to handle the sheer number of people, planes, hotel rooms, ship cabins, provisions and other complexities that are integral to the exploding travel industry. Logistics are the baseline for these systems.
“Efficiency, optimization and agility are the goals of any logistics system,” Alicia Ingersoll, a professor of business at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, explained during an interview. “But it is preparedness that underlies everything. Logistics leaders need to be knowledgeable and up-to-date on a variety of topics, such as geopolitics, the regulatory environment, weather patterns and the business environment, in order to be prepared.”
Preparedness, Ingersoll explained, is a thorough understanding of one’s operating environment. “Tis means constantly scanning sources of information and being able to digest that information to make informed decisions. You can build an agile and adapt- able system, but in order to maximize that system you need to be able to understand when it is time to shift,” she emphasized.
Te travel sector generates reams of data from its customers and operations and puts this information to work to optimize route planning, improve resource allocation, reduce operational costs, enhance supply chain management and develop predictive maintenance schedules. Airports use data to decide how highly contested airport slots should be allocated and utilized most effi- ciently to avoid congestion and flight delays.
Customer relationship management software systems enable travel companies to harness Big Data for the automation of repe- titious actions and the creation of customized client profiles. Automation takes on the basic repetitive tasks that humans might find boring. Since computers don’t get bored, they don’t make errors resulting from ennui. Tasks such as payment processing, booking confirmations and the like are moved to automation while human resources address more complex and challenging problems.
Big Data was one of several travel trends presented at Digital Transformation 2025, a travel technology conference held in
Industry and DOD alike need to concentrate on mantras of efficiency, optimization and agility if they are to maximize technology’s potential.
Te Army recognized that “time to shift” in 2018, when it estab- lished the Army Futures Command to integrate new concepts and capabilities into its mission of winning future wars. Tis was followed by the Army Digital Transformation Strategy (ADTS) in 2021. Key objectives of the ADTS include data-driven decision making, cloud implementation, cybersecurity enhancements, network modernization and workforce development.
ENTER BIG DATA Big Data refers to massive, increasingly expanding data sets that are too large and complex for traditional data-processing soft- ware. When mined algorithmically, Big Data can reveal patterns, trends and associations that might otherwise remain hidden or be unnoticed. Tis type of data can help the travel industry, as well as the DOD, know when it is time to shift. Dynamic pric- ing strategies are only possible because of Big Data. For example, airlines use mathematical modeling techniques, including game theory and network optimization, to make informed decisions.
86 Army AL&T Magazine Spring 2025
London in September 2024. Maria Bondarenko, featured speaker and vice president of product for GP Solutions, discussed how businesses can apply emerging technologies to drive growth and efficiency. In her view, these trends have shaped world travel today and will continue to mold its direction for the future. In addition to Big Data and automation, she included the Inter- net of Tings (IoT, i.e., device connectivity across platforms), cloud computing (the ubiquitous access to data and applications anytime, anywhere) and artificial intelligence (AI).
MOBILE ADVANCEMENTS IoT can be described as a network of connected devices able to exchange information with other devices and systems over the internet. Mobile phones and apps are the most obvious examples, bringing information and interaction into the hands of individ- ual customers. More than 60% of the world’s population had a smartphone in 2024. With these smart devices, travelers can manage their own booking, payment, check-in and navigation
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